


Tonight, Let’s Figure Out

by jju_nyaa



Category: NU'EST
Genre: Alternate Universe - Detectives, Gen, M/M, Mentioned IU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28048554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jju_nyaa/pseuds/jju_nyaa
Summary: Things were going smoothly until one decided to ask the bartender for grapefruit ade while the other an iced americano.
Relationships: Choi Minki | Ren & Kim Jonghyun | JR, Hwang Minhyun & Kang Dongho | Baekho, Hwang Minhyun/Kim Jonghyun | JR, Kang Dongho | Baekho/Kim Jonghyun | JR
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27
Collections: N.S.S. 2020





	1. even one alone is so pretty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jun_sk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jun_sk/gifts).



> To my dear recipient,
> 
> This might not be what you were expecting but I sincerely hope it’s still something to your liking and that you might find it enjoyable. Merry Christmas! ^_^

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Dongho and Minhyun have things to do but a certain someone isn’t quite helping.

✯✯✯✯✯

The Nocturne was a high-end, low-profile lounge and Kang Dongho did his utmost to not drag his feet coming in. He would’ve hightailed the shit out of there had his coat not been taken hostage by the doorman. Next to him, Minhyun straightened his suit jacket — his coat already taken — and sported a superb poker face.

Soft jazz sounds wafted throughout as the pair stepped in further. A baby grand piano stood furthest from the door and on it sat a young man, crooning as he played. Dongho would’ve paused to watch had they been there for leisure instead of business.

Before them stood the bar… and there his breath caught. So did Minhyun, given how his poker face collapsed at the sight of the bartender in that crisp black shirt under a black satin vest, with no tie and top buttons undone. Dongho unconsciously mirrored the smile Jonghyun was giving them. Kim Jonghyun, whose eyes were twinkling stars and teeth were pearly whites —

Maybe it was the place — or his nerves — but Dongho’s brain was waxing poetic over Jonghyun again.

“Evening, gentlemen, what can I get you?” Jonghyun greeted as the pair claimed counter seats.

“Uh, grapefruit ade?” Minhyun answered without thinking, belatedly realizing that Jonghyun was most likely asking about an alcoholic drink. Fortunately, not even Dongho’s idiotic (upon hindsight) follow-up of, “iced americano for me,” made Jonghyun’s lovely smile falter. Even his deeply articulated, “This might take a while, I hope you won’t mind waiting,” sounded like he was sharing some inside joke with Dongho and nothing else in the world mattered.

Minhyun cleared his throat and pursed his lips; Dongho promptly crashed back on earth. “Sorry, we, uh, don’t really drink,” the former spoke, apologetic and embarrassed.

“It’s fine,” Jonghyun assured them. “So, grapefruit ade… and, honey, you don’t mind?”

“Sorry — what?” Minhyun asked, his ears and neck flushing a deep red while Dongho choked on the water that the bartender had thoughtfully laid out.

“I meant if you’d mind that it’s honey grapefruit ade? Instead of without, well, honey,” Jonghyun clarified, pushing a napkin towards a coughing Dongho.

“Oh.” Minhyun took a sip of his own water before managing a breathless, “Yeah, honey’s fine.”

“Alright… honey.”

Dongho watched in pity as Minhyun’s circuits completely fried. In a different situation, he’d be more sympathetic. But not tonight.

Tonight, they had work to do.

“Jonghyun,” he said, the fancy-ass nameplate on the bartender’s chest briefly stealing his attention (and awe because there was a darned pink diamond-like thing on one of its corners — quartz? zircon? sapphire?)

“Yes?” Jonghyun asked as liquids mixed and glasses tinkled under his touch. Soon enough, he was serving Minhyun’s drink in an aptly-decorated Collins glass just as steam rose from the kettle.

Dongho paused from pulling out something from his pocket to peer at Jonghyun’s face. Having changed his mind, he leaned closer instead. “Just wondering what time you’ll be off from work,” he intimated, hoping his own ears weren’t as red as his partner’s earlier.

He ignored Minhyun’s incredulous stare, though it did morph into one of understanding. Pulling his drink to himself, Minhyun turned his seat towards the piano performance and left Dongho to his wildly abrupt attempt at seduction.

Jonghyun gave him a little smile and no answer. He moved along the bar, fetching various things as he went. He returned shortly with a manual drip set and began brewing Dongho’s coffee.

“I won’t be off until after two,” the bartender finally answered after letting Dongho watch him work in silence. “Do you intend to sit there and wait for me all night?”

“Worth it, I’d say.”

Jonghyun looked almost proud. “Your drink,” he intoned, pushing the iced coffee towards Dongho. Their fingertips brushed.

A waiter called Jonghyun’s attention away for orders from the seated patrons, giving Dongho some space to catch his breath. He and Minhyun took calming sips from their respective drinks.

“If I weren’t so impressed with your quick thinking, I’d hate your guts right now,” Minhyun admitted.

“Not my fault you suck,” Dongho quipped. “Seriously, _honey_ is all it takes to disarm you?”

Minhyun sniffed, throwing Jonghyun a hankering glance. “Good God, why does he have to look so… distracting.”

“If by _distracting_ you mean _hot_ , I’d say it just goes to show you’ve got good eyes.”

They found themselves in the warm, albeit perfunctory, embrace of the young man on the piano from earlier. Choi Mingi then withdrew his arms from each of their shoulders, leaning against the counter to signal Jonghyun for his usual drink.

“Well, aren’t we all dandy tonight,” Mingi remarked, turning around and propping himself on his elbows on the counter behind him.

✯✯✯✯✯

“How on earth did you get these?” Minhyun asked, brushing his fingers against the fine suit hung inside one of the equally fine garment bags that Mingi had just handed over. He could only imagine that wearing the three-piece suit would be what it feels like to wear money.

“The agency’s got this great rental place that gives discounts,” Mingi answered offhandedly, leaning against the door of Minhyun’s seat. “Plus the client herself is wealthy so we’ve got a generous investigation budget.”

“How generous is generous?” Dongho asked as he started the car.

“Budget unlimited, and any amount Jonghyun and I will earn at the lounge, we get to keep.”

Dongho whistled. His eyes strayed momentarily towards the steady stream of university kids making their way towards their respective classes. A few had called out — “Mingi-sunbaenim!” — to whom said sunbae waved back.

“And Jonghyun?” Minhyun asked.

“Yeah, got himself hired soon after you two found the place.”

“Couldn’t he have gotten _us_ hired instead?” Dongho wondered.

“Better it’s us as your back-ups,” Mingi said. “If it turns out you’re wrong and Kwak Aaron isn’t meeting his mistress in that secret lounge of his, then at least it’s just me and Jonghyun stuck working there for a while and you two could go on looking for his love nest elsewhere.”

“Fair enough. So what did Jonghyun say? Did I get it right?”

✯✯✯✯✯

“You sure got that right, Mingi,” Jonghyun said. Fixing a martini for the singer, his smile towards the pair indicated that their act was put on hold. “You two clean up very nicely,” he complimented.

Having recovered from his earlier shock of seeing Jonghyun’s cover, Minhyun’s indignance flared. “We ‘clean up very nicely’ — Jonghyun, you’re _stunning_ ,” he hissed.

“Are you… angry?” Jonghyun asked, bewildered.

Mingi laughed. “I think he’s mad because you’re oozing charisma in uniform.”

“I’m mad he’s been hiding all _that_ from me,” Minhyun moped, throwing Jonghyun another ~~thirsty~~ longing gaze before sipping his drink dejectedly.

Any response from Jonghyun was cut off by the sudden activity at the entrance. Mingi straightened up, mouthing, “He’s here,” before heading off to greet the newcomer, their roles resumed. Jonghyun was introduced as the new staff and received an encouraging pat on the arm from his employer.

Kwak Aaron then headed towards one of the semi-private booths, the view of which was obstructed for those seated at the bar.

“Holy hell, he looks nothing like his pictures,” Dongho breathed, pulling out a photo from inside his jacket pocket. “He’s way more handsome than this. And this? This is art.”

“Dreamy, isn’t he?” Jonghyun remarked, back to fixing yet another drink. “Minhyun’s photos of him were jaw-dropping.”

“To think I had to be discreet so I know they hardly captured his perfection,” Minhyun sighed. “At one point, I nearly gave in to temptation, almost approaching him for a photoshoot.”

Jonghyun chuckled. “Glad you held yourself back.”

“So how about you do a photoshoot with me instead?” Minhyun then asked.

“Me? Wearing this?”

“Or, you could wear nothing — ”

Dongho groaned. “Minhyun, shut up and grab your drink; we need to find a closer spot to film Aaron. His mistress could be here any minute.”

✯✯✯✯✯

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The other half of this story will be posted later…ish — it’s complete but because I couldn’t fit everything in 1,315 words, it became two parts ^^;


	2. and if you bring them all together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jonghyun and Mingi can do nothing more than cross their fingers and hope for the best.

✯✯✯✯✯

“Think they’ll make it?” Jonghyun asked Mingi as they watched the pair head off. Minhyun was pulling Dongho, the latter nearly getting the wrong lounge seats that Mingi discreetly pointed to having the best vantage point of Kwak Aaron’s booth.

Mingi noted the fondness in the bartender’s tone. “I know you want them to make it,” he chuckled, rushing to finish his martini.

“They’re good. Don’t you like them?”

“Oh, I do love them,” the singer said. “Objectively, they’re a bit — well, dumb — but that’s just the thing you like working with to improve on, don’t you?”

“I can’t be the only one who’s seeing their potential,” Jonghyun raised one eyebrow at Mingi.

“No, I see it, too,” Mingi assured him. “Just take care not to have favorites — other than myself, of course. I’m still your favorite, right?”

“I never play favorites,” Jonghyun said, laughing. “But you are the boss’s favorite _and_ my best agent,” he added as an afterthought.

Mingi downed the rest of his drink and patted Jonghyun. “Sure, sure… like you didn’t just promote me to best agent because you have a new favorite. No worries, it’ll be our little secret until you figure out which one of them is which.”

The bartender shrugged, grinning. “If they make it.”

“You do know you could just tell the boss that you want them both, don’t you?”

“I know… But where’s the fun in that?”

✯✯✯✯✯

It wasn’t long before a woman, beautiful as Aaron was handsome, joined the lounge owner in his booth.

Mingi was back on the piano and the detectives had their eyes on his performance. The camera on Dongho’s eyeglasses, however, captured every moment of their subject’s clandestine meeting.

“This is wrong,” Dongho said moments later. His posture was the epitome of relaxation and nonchalance but Minhyun caught the subtle frown in his face when he turned to look. Before them, Kwak Aaron was sharing a rather tender kiss with his companion.

“They do look good together though,” Minhyun couldn’t help but mutter. In the week that Minhyun had been following their subject, Aaron had never looked all the more beautiful and… _in love_ than he did at that moment. “Shame he’s nothing more than a cheating bastard.”

“No, _we’re_ wrong. This is all wrong.”

“It’s our job, Dongho,” Minhyun replied softly, wondering if this line of work doesn’t suit Dongho’s kind nature after all.

“No, I mean we got everything wrong,” Dongho whispered. “She can’t be his mistress.”

“How is she not his mistress? He’s thoroughly smitten with her. And we’ve never seen them together anywhere else but here… why else would they have to be so secretive?”

“Dunno yet. It’s just… She came up during my research so I know who she is.” Dongho’s gaze traveled from Aaron, to Mingi, and then towards Jonghyun. His anxious eyes finally rested on those of his partner.

“Minhyun, I think we messed up. That woman is Lee Jieun… and she’s Kwak Aaron’s wife.”

✯✯✯✯✯

“Isn’t she lovely?” Aaron beamed at the picturesque scene projected on-screen. “We’ve been married for years but I still ask myself every day how I’ve got such a wonderful wife.”

Mingi snorted. “You’re low-key rich and powerful, she’s low-key rich and powerful… Don’t know what’s not adding up for you, hyung.”

“Always such an absolute romantic, our Mingi,” Aaron winked. “Jonghyun, could you replay that last bit again?”

_“…Minhyun, I think we messed up… That woman is Lee Jieun… and she’s Kwak Aaron’s wife—”_

Dongho grimaced at the sound of his own voice. He’d been waiting all night but the ground had yet to open up and swallow him whole. There wasn’t an “eject” button on his chair either.

“Damn right, she is my wife.” Aaron was smug. “Don’t worry, Dongho, you didn’t mess up. You pretty much solved the case.”

Dongho wasn’t sure how to feel about that. In just one night, the cheating billionaire, the subject of his and Minhyun’s first case, turned out to be their mysterious boss. Their client, his supposed wife who could barely contain her rage when she came in for consultation with Jonghyun last week, was merely Choi Mingi in disguise. And the woman Aaron was supposedly cheating with? His actual wife.

Jonghyun smiled at him, eyes twinkling. “Dongho? Ready to give your full report on the case?”

Sighing, Dongho stood up from his seat. They were in a private conference room right above the lounge — the actual offices of Youngmin Private Detective Agency, not the run-of-the-mill office they’ve been camping in downtown ever since Dongho and Minhyun got hired two weeks ago.

His full report couldn’t be as polished as he would prefer. Dongho laid out the truth of the case from just the mental notes he scrambled to put together — from the time he rose from his lounge seat to tell Jonghyun that he’d figured it out, until the moment he and Minhyun were summoned “upstairs by the boss.” In between, he managed to fill Minhyun in on the real situation, and all the latter could say was, “what in the actual f—”

“Long story short,” he concluded, “Mr. Kwak Aaron was just being dramatic over introducing himself to his new employees, namely, Hwang Minhyun and yours truly.”

Laughter broke out from the audience — even Minhyun couldn’t help it. Aaron managed to insert an unconvincing, “Excuse me? How dare you!”

Dongho grinned despite himself, the embarrassment of finding out he’d been technically duped had already worn off. Frankly, it wasn’t that bad. He had Minhyun to go through it with, too. The only thing left remotely mortifying was that his attempt at flirting with Jonghyun had been recorded — part of the assessment, sure, but still…

“Well, Jonghyun,” Aaron then said. “As far as I’m concerned, these two did a great job, but what’s _your_ verdict?”

“I’m keeping them, hyung,” Jonghyun answered. “And Dongho deserves the lap treatment.”

“The what, now?” Dongho and Minhyun chorused.

“Ooh, congratulations!” Mingi exclaimed. He stood up from his seat and pulled Dongho towards Jonghyun, who rolled his chair out from under the conference table, legs parted.

“Go on, sit,” Aaron encouraged when Dongho only stood staring from Jonghyun’s expectant face to the thigh he was patting.

“Um… why?”

“Oh, come on,” Mingi grumbled, and pushed.

In no time, Jonghyun cradled Dongho on his lap, arms wrapped around his waist. Then — 

“Well done! Well done! Well done!” Came the chanting from Jonghyun, Mingi, and Aaron, as Dongho was bounced thrice on his team leader’s lap. Jonghyun patted him on the back, too, then Dongho was released, this time mirroring the utter confusion written all over Minhyun’s face.

“Alright, this calls for a celebration!” Aaron announced, standing up. “We’ll return downstairs for drinks — on the house, of course — and I’ll introduce you two to my Jieun. She wants to hear all about how Minhyun spotted her in the wild.”

“Wait! How come I don’t get to sit on Jonghyun’s lap?” Minhyun complained.

“Really? That’s your concern?” Dongho croaked, face still blooming red from having just been, technically, in Jonghyun’s arms.

Jonghyun chuckled. “Once you solve a case, you’re welcome to sit on my lap, too.”

“Can’t I sit on your lap _now_?”

“You can’t just sit on my lap anytime you want, Minhyun,” Jonghyun answered, frowning.

“Yes, I can,” Minhyun countered bravely, “if you’ll let me.”

The two stared at each other, the air around them crackling with tension. Minhyun held his breath until Jonghyun’s stern expression eased into a rather alluring grin.

“I’ll think about it.”

Visibly quelling his excitement, Minhyun linked arms with Jonghyun as they followed a laughing Aaron out of the conference room. 

Passing by a slack-jawed Dongho on his way out, Mingi patted the other’s back. “Don’t worry. You’re definitely Jonghyun’s new favorite, that much I can tell.”

“Sure… but what was _that_?”

Mingi shrugged. “You’re a detective. Figure it out, yeah?”

✯✯✯✯✯

**Author's Note:**

> Many, many thanks to (my beta) for proofreading, and to (my wholesomeness checker) for checking that the content is still wholesome — you guys are the best <3
> 
> (work title is from NU’EST - I’m in Trouble while chapter titles are from 반딧별 (Shooting Star))


End file.
